The Bennets were engaged to dine with the Lucases, and again
during the chief of the day, was Miss Lucas so kind as to
listen to Mr. Collins. Elizabeth took an opportunity of
thanking her. "It keeps him in good humour," said she, "and I
am more obliged to you than I can express." Charlotte assured
her friend of her satisfaction in being useful, and that it
amply repaid her for the little sacrifice of her time. This
was very amiable, but Charlotte's kindness extended farther
than Elizabeth had any conception of; -- its object was nothing
less than to secure her from any return of Mr. Collins's
addresses, by engaging them towards herself. Such was Miss
Lucas's scheme; and appearances were so favourable that when
they parted at night, she would have felt almost sure of
success if he had not been to leave Hertfordshire so very soon.
But here, she did injustice to the fire and independence of his
character, for it led him to escape out of Longbourn House the
next morning with admirable slyness, and hasten to Lucas Lodge
to throw himself at her feet. He was anxious to avoid the
notice of his cousins, from a conviction that if they saw him
depart, they could not fail to conjecture his design, and he
was not willing to have the attempt known till its success
could be known likewise; for though feeling almost secure, and
with reason, for Charlotte had been tolerably encouraging, he
was comparatively diffident since the adventure of Wednesday.
His reception however was of the most flattering kind. Miss
Lucas perceived him from an upper window as he walked towards
the house, and instantly set out to meet him accidentally in
the lane. But little had she dared to hope that so much love
and eloquence awaited her there.

In as short a time as Mr. Collins's long speeches would allow,
every thing was settled between them to the satisfaction of
both; and as they entered the house, he earnestly entreated her
to name the day that was to make him the happiest of men; and
though such a solicitation must be waved for the present, the
lady felt no inclination to trifle with his happiness. The
stupidity with which he was favoured by nature must guard his
courtship from any charm that could make a woman wish for its
continuance; and Miss Lucas, who accepted him solely from the
pure and disinterested desire of an establishment, cared not
how soon that establishment were gained.

Sir William and Lady Lucas were speedily applied to for their
consent; and it was bestowed with a most joyful alacrity.
Mr. Collins's present circumstances made it a most eligible
match for their daughter, to whom they could give little
fortune; and his prospects of future wealth were exceedingly
fair. Lady Lucas began directly to calculate with more
interest than the matter had ever excited before, how many
years longer Mr. Bennet was likely to live; and Sir William
gave it as his decided opinion that whenever Mr. Collins should
be in possession of the Longbourn estate, it would be highly
expedient that both he and his wife should make their
appearance at St. James's. The whole family, in short, were
properly overjoyed on the occasion. The younger girls formed
hopes of comingout a year or two sooner than they might
otherwise have done; and the boys were relieved from their
apprehension of Charlotte's dying an old maid. Charlotte
herself was tolerably composed. She had gained her point, and
had time to consider of it. Her reflections were in general
satisfactory. Mr. Collins to be sure was neither sensible nor
agreeable; his society was irksome, and his attachment to her
must be imaginary. But still he would be her husband. --
Without thinking highly either of men or of matrimony, marriage
had always been her object; it was the only honourable
provision for well-educated young women of small fortune, and
however uncertain of giving happiness, must be their
pleasantest preservative from want. This preservative she had
now obtained; and at the age of twenty-seven, without having
ever been handsome, she felt all the good luck of it. The
least agreeable circumstance in the business was the surprise
it must occasion to Elizabeth Bennet, whose friendship she
valued beyond that of any other person. Elizabeth would
wonder, and probably would blame her; and though her resolution
was not to be shaken, her feelings must be hurt by such
disapprobation. She resolved to give her the information
herself, and therefore charged Mr. Collins, when he returned to
Longbourn to dinner, to drop no hint of what had passed before
any of the family. A promise of secrecy was of course very
dutifully given, but it could not be kept without difficulty;
for the curiosity excited by his long absence burst forth in
such very direct questions on his return, as required some
ingenuity to evade, and he was at the same time exercising
great self-denial, for he was longing to publish his prosperous
love.

As he was to begin his journey too early on the morrow to see
any of the family, the ceremony of leave-taking was performed
when the ladies moved for the night; and Mrs. Bennet, with
great politeness and cordiality, said how happy they should be
to see him at Longbourn again, whenever his other engagements
might allow him to visit them.

"My dear Madam," he replied, "this invitation is particularly
gratifying, because it is what I have been hoping to receive;
and you may be very certain that I shall avail myself of it as
soon as possible."

他回答道：“亲爱的太太，承蒙邀约，不胜感
激，我也正希望能领受这份盛意；请你放心，
我一有空就来看你们。”

They were all astonished; and Mr. Bennet, who could by no means
wish for so speedy a return, immediately said,

大家都吃了一惊，尤其是班纳特先生，根本不
希望他马上双来，便连忙说道：

"But is there not danger of Lady Catherine's disapprobation
here, my good sir? -- You had better neglect your relations,
than run the risk of offending your patroness."

“贤侄，你不怕珈苔琳夫人不赞成吗？你最好
把亲戚关系看得淡一些，免得担那么大的风险
，得罪了你的女施主。”

"My dear sir, " replied Mr. Collins, "I am particularly obliged
to you for this friendly caution, and you may depend upon my
not taking so material a step without her ladyship's
concurrence."

柯林斯先生回答道：“老长辈，我非常感激你
这样好心地提醒我，请你放心，这样重大的事
，不得到她老人家的同意，我决不会冒昧从事
。”

"You cannot be too much on your guard. Risk any thing rather
than her displeasure; and if you find it likely to be raised by
your coming to us again, which I should think exceedingly
probable, stay quietly at home, and be satisfied that we shall
take no offence."

"Believe me, my dear sir, my gratitude is warmly excited by
such affectionate attention; and depend upon it, you will
speedily receive from me a letter of thanks for this, as well
as for every other mark of your regard during my stay in
Hertfordshire. As for my fair cousins, though my absence may
not be long enough to render it necessary, I shall now take the
liberty of wishing them health and happiness, not excepting my
cousin Elizabeth."

With proper civilities the ladies then withdrew; all of them
equally surprised to find that he meditated a quick return.
Mrs. Bennet wished to understand by it that he thought of
paying his addresses to one of her younger girls, and Mary
might have been prevailed on to accept him. She rated his
abilities much higher than any of the others; there was a
solidity in his reflections which often struck her, and though
by no means so clever as herself, she thought that if
encouraged to read and improve himself by such an example as
her's, he might become a very agreeable companion. But on the
following morning, every hope of this kind was done away. Miss
Lucas called soon after breakfast, and in a private conference
with Elizabeth related the event of the day before.

The possibility of Mr. Collins's fancying himself in love with
her friend had once occurred to Elizabeth within the last day
or two; but that Charlotte could encourage him, seemed almost
as far from possibility as that she could encourage him
herself, and her astonishment was consequently so great as to
overcome at first the bounds of decorum, and she could not help
crying out,

The steady countenance which Miss Lucas had commanded in
telling her story, gave way to a momentary confusion here on
receiving so direct a reproach; though, as it was no more than
she expected, she soon regained her composure, and calmly
replied,

卢卡斯小姐乍听得这一声心直口快的责备，镇
静的脸色不禁变得慌张起来，好在这也是她意
料中事，因此她立刻就恢复了常态，从容不迫
地说：

"Why should you be surprised, my dear Eliza? -- Do you think it
incredible that Mr. Collins should be able to procure any
woman's good opinion, because he was not so happy as to succeed
with you?"

“你为什么这样惊奇，亲爱的伊丽莎？柯林斯
先生不幸没有得到你的赏识，难道就不作兴他
得到别的女人的赏识吗？”

But Elizabeth had now recollected herself, and making a strong
effort for it, was able to assure her with tolerable firmness
that the prospect of their relationship was highly grateful to
her, and that she wished her all imaginable happiness.

伊丽莎白这时候已经镇定下来，便竭力克制着
自己，用相当肯定的语气预祝他们俩将来良缘
美满，幸福无疆。

"I see what you are feeling," replied Charlotte, -- "you must
be surprised, very much surprised, -- so lately as Mr. Collins
was wishing to marry you. But when you have had time to think
it all over, I hope you will be satisfied with what I have
done. I am not romantic you know. I never was, I ask only a
comfortable home; and considering Mr. Collins's character,
connections, and situation in life, I am convinced that my
chance of happiness with him is as fair as most people can
boast on entering the marriage state."

Elizabeth quietly answered "Undoubtedly;" -- and after an
awkward pause, they returned to the rest of the family.
Charlotte did not stay much longer, and Elizabeth was then left
to reflect on what she had heard. It was a long time before
she became at all reconciled to the idea of so unsuitable a
match. The strangeness of Mr. Collins's making two offers of
marriage within three days, was nothing in comparison of his
being now accepted. She had always felt that Charlotte's
opinion of matrimony was not exactly like her own, but she
could not have supposed it possible that, when called into
action, she would have sacrificed every better feeling to
worldly advantage. Charlotte the wife of Mr. Collins, was a
most humiliating picture! -- And to the pang of a friend
disgracing herself and sunk in her esteem, was added the
distressing conviction that it was impossible for that friend
to be tolerably happy in the lot she had chosen.